Tried and Tested: More T-Zoid Vicar?

The name of Mizuno is synonymous for making perhaps the finest irons on the World's tours. Their range of irons and the list of tournament won with them is long. Major Championship victories are commonplace, with Nick Faldo one of the biggest names to have won four of his six majors with Mizuno irons.

But now, Mizuno finally have a series of woods, made with the same painstaking approach and technology, attention to detail and value for money.

Mizuno's T-Zoid Forged woods feature Mizuno's patented new technology, the C-Face. The C-Face takes the level of rebound on the T-Zoid Forged to the very limits of the recently introduced USGA regulations. Research showed that by thinning the forged Titanium in a 'C' shape around the heel, Mizuno could increase the flex of the face without affecting its strength. Many pros are using the new club for increased feel and distance.

Vijay Singh won the Masters using a Mizuno driver, the 300S series, and similar technology is used in the new T-Zoid series of woods.

While the 300S is the flagship of the Mizuno drivers range, it will set you back around £600. But the all new T-Zoid looks, feels and performs much the same as the 300S, but at less than half the price.

Dave Matthews of Mizuno UK says,
"The 300S is primarily designed for the Japanese Market. They just want a driver that goes a long way, regardless of the cost. But we could not sell it in the UK because of the price".

The new T-Zoid will retail at around £250, value for money in an increasingly competitive market. And with the looks and performance of some clubs at nearly double the price, it would make sense for anyone to try one of these before splashing out on something that may prove illegal in the future.

Andy Kikidas, Workshop manager for the European Tour van has received positive feedback from the players on the tour.

"Between the two drivers, the 300S and the T-Zoid, nearly every player who has tried them cannot tell the performance difference between the two clubs".

GOLFmagic tested the 9-degree T-Zoid driver with a Tour-S "Active kick" shaft, standard in the range. The feel off the face is soft and very forgiving and the ball flight is strong and running. Perfect for me as I play on a predominately windy course.

But if you increase the loft and find a softer shaft, you will find that the flight is still powerful, just a little higher. Make no bones about it, this club is excellent value for money and with the right shaft in place, could consign your old driver to the depths of the garage in no time at all.

If you like to work the ball, the T-Zoid is ideal for you. I found it fairly easy to draw or fade the ball at will and every time it had what I thought was a 'howler', I was surprised to see my ball still way up the fairway.

Distance wise, it does not carry as long as my present driver, a Callaway Hawk Eye, but if you get it out of the screws on a flat fairway, the T-Zoid runs after landing…a long way too!

One example, on a straight par five at my home course, it is usually a two shotter downwind, and my second shot is nearly always a three wood or one iron.

When you are going in with a 7-iron for your second on a par five, you know that somewhere, you have found a bit of distance! No joke, the ball must have carried around 230-yards, and run another 80-yards…mmm…I like this. Needless to say, I found the green in two, then four putted for a six! Anyone know where I can get my hands on a putter?

What is it they say…drive for show…putt for dough…at least the drive was worth it though!

With slick looks and a deep blue finish, the price tag might seem a low for a top quality driver like this. For me, it would be £249 well spent!

GOLFmagic rating:

Looks 8/10

Feel 9/10

Performance 8/10

Value for money 9/10

Overall 8/10